Begonia plant named ‘Usami N’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Begonia  plant named ‘Usami N’, characterized by its upright and mounded plant habit; freely branching habit; leaves with finely-serrated margins; large and showy frilled double flowers with numerous tepals that are pale yellow and various shades of pink in color and held above and beyond the foliar plane; and excellent postproduction longevity.

Botanical designation: Begonia×hiemalis.

Cultivar denomination: ‘USAMI N’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Begoniaplant, botanically known as Begonia×hiemalis, commercially known asElatior Begonia and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Usami N’.

The new Begonia plant is a naturally-occurring branch mutation ofBegonia×hiemalis ‘Renaissance Maria’, not patented. The new Begonia wasdiscovered and selected by the Inventor on a single flowering plantwithin a population of plants of ‘Renaissance Maria’ in a controlledgreenhouse environment in Aichi, Japan in April, 2009.

Asexual reproduction of the new Begonia plant by vegetative cuttingstaken in a controlled greenhouse environment in Aichi, Japan sinceApril, 2009 has shown that the unique features of this new Begonia plantare stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Begonia have not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may varysomewhat with variations in environmental conditions such astemperature, daylength and light intensity, without, however, anyvariance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Usami N’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘Usami N’ as a new and distinct Begonia plant:

-   -   1. Upright and mounded plant habit.    -   2. Freely branching habit.    -   3. Leaves with finely-serrated margins.    -   4. Large and showy frilled double flowers with numerous tepals        that are pale yellow and various shades of pink in color and        held above and beyond the foliar plane.    -   5. Excellent postproduction longevity.

Plants of the new Begonia differ primarily from plants of the parent,‘Renaissance Maria’, in flower color as plants of ‘Renaissance Maria’have dark pink-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Begonia can be compared to plants of Begonia×hiemalis‘Renaissance Eden’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 21,950. Inside-by-side comparisons conducted in Aichi, Japan, plants of the newBegonia differed primarily from plants of ‘Renaissance Eden’ in thefollowing characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Begonia had shorter lateral branches than        plants of ‘Renaissance Eden’.    -   2. Plants of the new Begonia had slightly smaller leaves than        plants of ‘Renaissance Eden’.    -   3. Plants of the new Begonia had smaller flowers than plants of        ‘Renaissance Eden’.    -   4. Plants of the new Begonia and ‘Renaissance Eden’ differed in        flower color as plants of ‘Renaissance Eden’ had yellow and        orange-colored flowers.    -   5. Plants of the new Begonia had shorter peduncles and pedicels        than plants of ‘Renaissance Eden’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new Begonia plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors ofthe new Begonia plant.

The photograph at the top of the sheet comprises a side perspective viewof a typical flowering plant of ‘Usami N’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet is a close up view of atypical flowering plant of ‘Usami N’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations andmeasurements describe plants grown during the winter in Aichi, Japan,under commercial practices in 15-cm containers in a polyethylene-coveredgreenhouse. During the production of the plants, the day temperaturesranged from 10° C. to 35° C. and the night temperatures ranged from 15°C. to 25° C. Plants were eight months old when the photographs anddescription were taken. In the following description, color referencesare made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition,except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Begonia×hiemalis ‘Usami N’.-   Parentage: Naturally-occurring branch mutation of Begonia×hiemalis    ‘Renaissance Maria’, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—By terminal vegetative cuttings.        -   Time to develop roots, summer.—About 25 days at temperatures            of 26° C. to 35° C.        -   Time to develop roots, winter.—About 30 days at temperatures            of 16° C. to 20° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 40 days            at temperatures of 26° C. to 35° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About 45 days            at temperatures of 16° C. to 20° C.        -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; white in color.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; plants of the new Begonia            have not been observed to form tubers.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant form and growth habit.—Upright and mounded plant            habit, broad inverted triangle; freely branching with good            stem strength; flowers are fully double and positioned above            the foliar plane; moderately vigorous growth habit;            vegetative shoots are formed at basal nodes and flowering            shoots are formed at upper nodes.        -   Plant height.—About 21.5 cm.        -   Plant width.—About 35.5 cm.        -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 7.8 cm. Diameter: About            1.1 cm. Internode length: About 1.4 cm. Aspect: Upright to            outwardly. Texture: Sparsely pubescent. Color: Close to            146A.        -   Leaves.—Arrangement: Alternate; simple. Fully expanded            leaves, length: About 11.5 cm. Fully expanded leaves, width:            About 9.8 cm. Shape: Roughly reniform, asymmetrical. Apex:            Acute. Base: Cordate; asymmetric. Margin: Finely            double-serrate. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth,            glabrous. Venation pattern: Palmate. Color: Developing            leaves, upper surface: Close to 137A. Developing leaves,            lower surface: Close to 148B. Fully expanded leaves, upper            surface: Close to N137A; venation, close to 146C. Fully            expanded leaves, lower surface: Close to 137D; venation,            close to 146C. Petioles: Length: About 3.2 cm. Diameter:            About 8.2 mm. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Sparsely            pubescent. Color, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 144A.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flowering habit.—Large frilled double flowers with tepals            arranged in axillary cymes; usually two to four flowers per            cyme and about 13 cymes developing per plant; flowers            positioned above and beyond the foliar plane; flowers face            upright to outwardly.        -   Natural flowering season.—Plants begin flowering about 90            days after planting; plants will flower year round            regardless of nyctoperiod, however plants flower earlier,            more abundantly and continuously from the beginning of            September until the end of June in Japan; flowers not            persistent.        -   Fragrance.—None detected.        -   Flowers.—Shape: Rounded; rose-like. Diameter: About 4.7 cm.            Depth (height): About 5.4 cm.        -   Flower buds.—Length: About 1.4 cm. Diameter: About 1.2 cm.            Shape: Globose. Color: Close to 150D.        -   Tepals.—Arrangement: Rosette. Quantity per flower: Numerous,            typically about 40 to 160 per flower. Size: Outer tepals,            length: About 3 cm. Outer tepals, width: About 3.4 cm. Inner            tepals, length: About 7 mm to 33 mm. Inner tepals, width:            About 7 mm to 34 mm. Shape: Rounded to obovate. Apex:            Rounded to obtuse. Base: Rounded to obtuse. Margin: Crenate,            frilled; undulate. Texture, upper and lower surfaces:            Smooth, glabrous. Color, outer tepals: When opening, upper            surface: Close to 54B. When opening, lower surface: Close to            50C. Fully opened, upper surface: Close to 43D. Fully            opened, lower surface: Close to 49B. Color, inner tepals:            When opening, upper surface: Close to 2D and 55D. When            opening, lower surface: Close to 2D and 56C. Fully opened,            upper surface: Close to 2D and 48D. Fully opened, lower            surface: Close to 2D and 49C.        -   Flower bracts.—Length: About 29.8 mm. Width: About 25.1 mm.            Color: Close to N34B to N34C.        -   Peduncles.—Angle: Outwardly. Length: About 4.7 cm. Diameter:            About 3.5 mm. Texture: Pubescent. Color: Close to 144A.        -   Pedicels.—Angle: Outwardly. Length: About 2.8 cm. Diameter:            About 2.4 mm. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to            144A.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: None observed. Pistils: None            observed. Seeds and fruits: Seed and fruit production have            not been observed on plants of the new Begonia as            reproductive organs are not formed.-   Postproduction longevity: Excellent postproduction longevity, plants    of the new Begonia last about five months.-   Disease/pest resistance: Resistance to pathogens and pests common to    Begonia plants has not been observed.-   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Begonia have been observed    to tolerate temperatures from about 15° C. to about 35° C.

1. A new and distinct Begonia plant named ‘Usami N’ as illustrated anddescribed.